Tuning foil boards with a far-back mast track

[d0uglass]

I had a good sesh on the skysup today with a 5.7 in gusty offshore winds. Got a lot more comfortable getting foiling and finding a comfortable and controlled stance once foiling. Very maneuverable setup, for sure. The first time I tried jibing it I almost did a 360 before I even knew what was happening! (I'll have to attempt that trick for real at some point.) Eventually I made some dry jibes but no foiling jibes yet. I think I will need to relearn foil jibing because the muscle memory I have from the formula board foil platform doesn't quite translate.

Something else that was interestingly different was the technique for getting foiling. Seemed to be less about pumping the sail to get the board planing, and more about shifting weight fore and aft to get the foil pumping.

I'm running the boom lower than normal but it's still real tricky to get hooked in, so significantly longer harness lines would definitely help.

One thing that I think I give up with this platform as compared with the formula board is some control in overpowering / gusty conditions. Getting hit with a gust when the mast is raked forward and you're sheeted out a lot is awkward. On the formula board the mast rake and the outboard front footstraps really give me a lot of leverage.

Anyway, I look forward to sailing this thing some more. Getting it some swells would be really cool, I think.

[dllee]

Strapless, guys step front to weight the nose when really powered, and feather the sail, staying upright, not using leverage.

[grantmac017]

Modern wave sailors stand upright and use long lines. My boom sits at armpit height.
It's all a question of stance and not hanging off the lines. If they are too short you're locked into one rake which won't allow you to control height via rake.

[LUCARO]

Glad you are getting the hang of it. Seems like everyone agrees with increasing the sail universal to foil distance, but we don't agree on the harness and boom height.

FWIW: I like very long lines and higher than normal boom, I stay hooked in most of the time but feel the long lines allow me to sheet out a lot without losing mast foot pressure.

Getting going on a board like that is quite different than a more traditional foil board as it doesn't like the aggressive sail pumping needed when underpowered. If there is enough power in the sail, they pop up super easy by weighting the tail.

[dllee]

Sku SUP and other super short wind and wing boards are set for regular foils with front foil AT the mast.
If you use a windfoil, you need to go all the way back with the foil mast.

[d0uglass]

[motogon]